Railway-rail



N0. 6|4,976. Patented Nov. 29, I898. J. W. PETERMAN.

RAILWAY RAIL.

(App). 1: nfildFb 21 1898) (No Modem UNITED STATES PATENT UEFICE.

JOHN IV. PETERMAN, OF BANTA, CALIFORNIA.

RAILWAY-RAIL,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,976, dated November 29, 1898. Application filed February 21, 1898. Serial No. 671,024. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN W. PETERMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Banta, in the county of San Joaquin and State of California,have invented certain new and usef ul Improvements in Railway-Rails; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in railway-rails, and more particularly to the manner of joining the ends of the same.

My object is to furnish a railway-rail which may be joined to another similar rail, so as to form a continuous rail without the aid or use of fish-plates or rail-chairs now usually employed for that purpose. This I accomplish by the use of the peculiar construction, novel combination, and adaptation of parts hereinafter described, and particularly point ed out in the claim hereunto annexed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the connecting ends of two rails about to be fitted together. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the center of one end of a rail. Fig. 3 is a top view of the connecting ends of two rails to be attached together.

Similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

I employ a railway-rail of ordinary general form having the web 2 rolled thicker at and near each end and also having the foot 3 thicker. One end of the rail has a vertical slot 4 cut therein, such slot 4 extending from the top of the tread 5 of the rail through the web 2, which is thicker at that point, to the foot 3, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In the bottom of said slot t a lug 6 is rigidly inserted near the end of the rail. The web 2 and foot 3 are extended beyond the end of the rail, thus forming two projecting beaks or points '7, the under side of the same being straight and the top curved, as shown in Fig. 1. The

top side of each point 7 is chamfered for the purpose of fitting in and engaging with a circular groove 8, which is cut in the widened end of the web 2 at the other end of the rail. Such rail at that end has a hook 9, provided with the point 10, which is adapted to be inserted in the slot 4, whereupon the point 10 engages with the rear side of the lug 6, and the points 7 extend along either side of the web 2, which is thinner at that point for that purpose, and are engaged by the groove 8, which prevents such points 7 from being forced apart.

As will be seen, the rails are so constructed that when the same are connected they form a continuous rail, as the wheels pass to the rail ahead before leaving the rail behind.

The mode of operating my improved railway-rail is as follows: The ends of the rails are elevated sufficiently for the point 10 of the hook 9 to pass over the lug 6 whereupon the said hook 9 is inserted into the slot 4: and the points 7 introduced into the top of the circular groove 8, and the said ends of the rails are then lowered to their normal position, which movement presses the points '7 downwardly in the grooves 8. The rail is then spiked to the ties in the usual manner. The points 7 engaging with the groove 8 in the side of the web 2 prevent the spreading of those parts and also the dropping of the other end of the rail by reason of its engagement with the top of said points '7, and the top of the book 9 is prevented from being upset by reason of the sides of the slot 4. The end of the rail having the slot therein is prevented from depression by having its foot 3 extend over the end of the foot 3 of the abutting end of the rail, as shown in Fig. 3. Side displacement of the ends of the rails is prevented by reason of the hook 9 engaging with the sides of the slot 4.

I am aware that railway-rails have been constructed which have their ends connected without the use of fish-plates or having holes bored through the web, and therefore those features I do not claim broadly; but

That I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a rail-joint of the class described, a rail having its web and foot increased in thickness at its end and also having the slot 4, in adapted to engage the lug (3 of said other 10 said end, the lug 6 at the bottom of the slot rail, substantially as specified. and the projecting, points 7, and a coinple- In testimony whereof I affiX my signature mentary rail having, its Web and foot inin presence of two witnesses.

5 creased in thickness at its end and also hav- 7 T T 1 T ing the grooves 8 at the sides of the web ar- JOHB PE HERMAN ranged to receive the points 7 of the other XVitnesses: rail, the hook 9 adapted to be inserted in the JOSHUA 13. \VEBSTER,

slot at of the other rail, and the point 10 MOLBRY HAYNES. 

